The world has known a wide variety of differently configured chimes which produce various sounds. For instance, wind chimes typically comprise a plurality of vertically oriented bars or tubes which hang from an even higher support surface. In their simplest form, such chimes simply hang until a force of passing air urges the bars or tubes to impact against one another, thereby creating random sounds.
In a more complex version, the wind chime has a hammer that is centrally located amidst the vertically oriented bars. The hammer is attached to means that is urged into motion by the force of passing air. Once set in motion, such means causes the hammer to impact against one or more of the vertically oriented bars or tubes to create random sounds.
Vertically oriented bars or tubes of successively increasing length are used in a planar fashion to form a musical instrument called tubular bells. A musician uses one or more mallets to manually strike the bells.
Another musical instrument which uses bars or tubes of successively increasing length is a xylophone. Such bars or tubes, however, have a horizontal orientation. Vertically oriented resonators are often secured to the bars. The bars are individually struck by a musician using one or more mallets. To facilitate ease of use, the bars are positioned to produce successive musical notes similar to the placement of keys on a piano. The inventor is aware of the following references which relate to xylophone devices: Bartholomae (U.S. Pat. No. 1,575,960; issued Mar. 9, 1926), and Okrain (U.S. Pat. No. 2,454,402; issued Nov. 23, 1948).
Many other sound producing devices have also been created. The following references relate to such devices: Rundell (U.S. Pat. No. 2,504,456; issued Apr. 18, 1950); Rundell (U.S. Pat. No. 2,504,457; issued Apr. 18, 1950); Miller (U.S. Pat. No. 2,738,697; issued Mar. 20, 1956); Askin (U.S. Pat. No. 1,586,769; issued Jun. 1, 1926); and Sommer (U.S. Pat. No. 408,635).
In contrast, Inman (U.S. Pat. No. 2,923,122; issued Feb. 2, 1960) relates to a vibration producing device.
The inventor is also aware of a noise making device which is believed to have been sold in Japan. The device comprises an upright, transparent, elongated cylinder or tube having end caps at each end. Located within the interior of the cylinder at its lower end are three spaced, circular, metal discs. The three metal discs are connected together by a centrally located support rod extending upwardly from the lower end or base of the cylinder. Each disc is circular in configuration and has a convexo-concave configuration. The discs increase in diameter from the uppermost disc to the lowermost disc. The lowermost end cap has a floor and a raised cylindrical sidewall. The lowermost end cap is made of metal and has uniform perforations therein. An adhesive strip is secured to the interior side of the upper end cap or lid. Ball bearings are placed within the interior cavity of the cylinder. When turned upside-down, the ball bearings adhere to the adhesive strip. When turned right-side-up, the ball bearings gradually drop from the adhesive strip to impact against the metal discs. The central placement of the discs within the cylinder causes the ball bearings to ricochet of the discs and impact against an interior sidewall of the transparent cylinder. The ball bearings then impact against the metal floor of the lowermost end cap.
The inventor believes that the listed references taken alone or in combination neither anticipate nor render obvious the present invention. Citation of these references does not constitute an admission that such disclosures are relevant or material to the present claims. Rather, such relate only to the general field of the disclosure and are cited as constituting the closest art of which the inventor is aware.